Controller for electric motors.



V. E. GHAMBERLIN. CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1907.

Patented July 13, 1909.

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V. B. GHAMBERLIN. GQNTROLLERTOR ELECTRIC MOTORS. APPLICATION FILED APR.27, 1907.

928,028. Patented July 13, 1909.

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QQISWM V Q AVs/EA/ZOR UNITED STATES PATENT orrron FICTOE. E.CHAMBERLI'N, OF INDIANAPOLIS,

COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY,

lNDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO POPE MANUFACTURING NEW JERSEY,'A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

no. sas es.

Specification of Letters Patent. j Application filed April 27, 1907.Serial No. 370,577.

Patented July 13, 1909.

To all whom it mag concem:

Be it known that I, Vrcron ECHAMBER- are, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion andState of Indiana, have invented'a new and Ira rovcd Controller forElectric Motors,

of whic i the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the class of devioesfor controlling theoperation of electric motors more especially employed as a power for)ropelling automobiles or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a device in the us of whichall danger of sparking and the subsequent injurious efiects of burningof parts, rush of current in the batteries, etc. shall be eliminated;and a further object of the invention is to provide a device forcontrolling an electric motor in which an unbroken metallic circuitincluding all the field windings is constantly maintained in all of thedifferent positions of the parts in driving a vehicle at d iil'erentrates of speed, and throughout the changes in relation of parts duringthe progression from slowest to fastest speed in either forward orreverse positions.

A form of device in the use of which these objects may be attained isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view illustrating a motor and a controller embodying myinvention. Figs 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 are diagramnlatic .\'lr'\ showingthe relative positions of contacts and fingers of a controller arrangedto carry out my invention, the brake mechanism not being represented inFigs. 8 to 12, inclusive. Figs. 4, 6, 8, 10 and '12 illustrate thecircuit conditions with the controller located in each of its differentpositions.

.In the accompanying drawings the letter A denotes the motor armature, Mand N the field windings, two in number, ada )ted to be arranged inseries or in arallel, eing employed in the device herein illustrated, Bthe attery, R and R resistances and O the main portion of thecontroller.

The letter K Fi s. 1 and 2 denotes contacts upon the control or adaptedto convert the motor into an electric generator and thus produce abraking effect upon the vehicle, and T) a separate device for reversingthe direction of the current through the armature, and thus reversingthedirection of ro- 55 tation of the motor. This reversing mechif,resistance R, fingers anism is mountedon a cylinder separate from thatof the main part 0 of the controller and actuated by a separate meansbut in a manner well-known to devices of this class and for such reasonfurther and detailed description of the reversing mechanislnas well as te brake mechanism is omitted.

The controller is illustrated as developed cylinders having contactblades a to a on the main portion and a" to a on the se arate portionthereof, these being ernploye as shown in the forward driving positions.These blades are secured to the controller in the usual manner andconstitute/the movable contacts. The characters b to b inclusiveindicate the contact fingers or stationary contacts, properly Wired upwithin the circuit and cooperating with the contact blades incontrolling the operation of the motor. The characters 0 to 0 indicatethe contact blades employed in the reverse driving positions, inconnection with the blades 0, to a, which latter are wired up andoperated the same in both forward and reverse driving positions, and ina manner to be described.

When the controller is in osition with the blades in contact with themgers along the dotted line 0 (Fig. 2) the circuit is broken between thefingers b and b and the motor is thus inoperative. By now moving theblades and fingers are con-trollerco that the v I in contact along thedotted line 1 the motor becomes operative a circuit being established,as indicated in Fig. 3, from the bat tery through finger 6 contacts a afinger b, 1), blades a, a, finger b to the armature A, and from thearmature through finger b, blades a, a, fingers b b blades (1, a)",finger b through field circuit N, finger blades of, a and linger I)through field circuit M and finger'b to the battery. It will thus beseen that the battery, resistance, armature and fields are connected inseries on this first speed, as 0 shown in Fig. 4. By nowmovingthecontroller another step forward, 'hrin g the blades and fingers intocontact aidi ig the dotted line 2, as illustrated in Fig. 5, it will beseen that the circuit is fronfthe battery 1 5 through finger b blade oblade'a, to finger b. The resistance R is thus shunted, otherwise thecircuit is in the same condition as on the first-speed, that is, withthe armature and field in series, as shown in Fig. 6. It will be notedthat the continuity of the blades a a, a", a a, and a retains theconnection of the first speed at all points between the first and secondspeeds and thus prevents the breakin of the circuit. In this secondspeed 9.1 of the current passes through the fields in series giving astrong field, and there are no external resistances in the circuit, thusavoidingany waste of current.

In passing to the next higher or third speed the blades and fingers arebrought into and pass out of contact at two intermediate points, thatis, along the dotted lines 3 and 3. By moving the controller to thesepositions, with the fingersand blades in contact along the line 3*, asshown in Fig. 7, the current new asses from the battery through finger bb ades a, c to finger I), thus shunting the resistance R as in thesecond speed. From finger b the circuit is to finger b blades a, a, andlinger b" to armature A, from armature A through finger 6, blades a, (1.fingers I), b", to blade a, where the circuit divides, part going by wayof blade a to finger I), through field circuit N, finger b blades 0., a,and finger b to batter while the remaining part goes by way of lade a.and finger b t irough resistance R, finger I), blades 0.", a, a andfinger I) to the battery. It will thus be seen that by bringing theblade a. into contact a shunt is connected around the field circuit M,the

latter, however, being maintained in the circuit through the contactbetween the blade a and lm'gcr b which has not been broken, while theblade a" being brought into contact connects a shunt through theresistance R located between the lingers b, 1) around the field circuitN. The condition of thecircuit thus resulting is painly shown in Fig. 8.In this position of the controller the battery, shunted resistance It,armature A, field circuit N' shunted by resistance it and shunted fieldM are in series. By now moving the controller to the next intermediatepoint with the blades and lingers in contact along the line 3*, as shownin Fig. 9,

it will be noted that the current passes from 'by linger I),

the battery by linger I), blades 1.", a lingers l), I), blades a, a,and'linger b to the armature A. The resistance It is thus entirely outout. From armature A the current is b linger b, blades a, it, lingersb", I)", b ade (1, where the current divides, one part going throughblade c", linger I), through licld circuit N, linger lr", blades a", a,and linger l) to battery, while the remaining current passes from bladea to blade a,

through resistance R, linger I), lield circuit M and linger '1)" tobattery. ()n comparing Fig. 9 with Fig. 7 it will be seenthat blade aleaving contact breaks the shunt around lield M and blade a" remainingin contact, the lield circuit M and resistance It are left in series,and the blades a d and e remaining in contact preserve thev con tinuityof fieldcircuit N, which is now in parallel with field M. The battery,armature, and paralleled field circuits M and N are now in series, theresistance R also being in series with field circuit M, as shown in Fig.10..

On moving the controller so that the fingers and blades are in contactalong the line 3, as shown in Fig. 11, there is no change except thatthe blade a coming in contact with finger I) connects a shunt around theresistance R, cutting it out of field circuit M, as.

lainly shown in Fig. 12. It will be noted that in this position, or onthe third speed, the'battery, armature, and paralleled field circuitsare in series, with all external resistances cut out, an arrangementconducive to an efiicient use of current in developing power at highspeed.

The changes above described are these resulting from a movement of thecontroller to produce successive speeds from the lowest to the highest,and it is evident that the changes and conditions will be merelyreversed in moving the controller through the successive steps inchanging from highest to the lowest speed.

From the above description it will be seen that the metallic circuit hasalways included both fields M and N and has remained unbroken throughoutthe entire change from lowest to highest speed and will remain unbrokenin change from highest to, lowest sfieed, and although the lields havebeen changed from series to )arallcl relation and .vice versa each lieldcircuit has remained.

unbroken. This maintaining of the metallic circuit at all points avoidsany danger of sparking and burning of the parts and of injury to thebatteries by reason of sudden rushes of current incident to deviceswhere the circuit is broken at points during the several changes.

in changing from the second to third speeds while passing through thefirst and second intermediate stages the movement of the cylinder willbe almost continuous, although I do not limit my invention to anapparatus embodying such a feature, as a stop may be made on either orboth the first and second intermediate steps to maintain the speedattained with the arrangement of circuit in these positions, thus givingadditional running positions, and enabling a controller for a vehiclehaving more than three forward speeds to be constructed.

What 1 claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. A source. of electricity, a motor having a plurality of lieldwindings, and a controller having contacts forming part of the circuitand constructed and adapted to continuously maintain the circuitthrouglumt by full contact between the lingers and blades and therebychange the relative arrangement of the field windings without breakingthe connection with either of the field windings during said-operation;

2;. A'source of electricity, a motor with a lurality of field windings,and a controller aving'contacts forming part of the circuit and arrangedand connected to continuously maintain the circuit throughout by 0 fullcontact between the fingers and blades and thereby close the,circuitwith the field windings in series, and to change the circuit to includethe field windings in parallel and without breaking the connection witheither of the field windings during all of said operations.

3. A source of electricity, a motor having a lurality of field windingsconnected in paral el relation therewith, and a controller havingcontacts forming part of the circuit and arran ed and adapted tocontinuously maintain t e circuit t roughout by full contact between thefingers and blades and thereby change the circuit to include the fieldwindings 1n eerie and without breaking the connection withjieither fieldwinding during said operation. -J

4. A source of electricity, a motor having a plural number of fieldwindings, and a con- .troller having contacts forming part of thecircuit and arranged and connected to close .the circuit with the fieldsin series, to shunt one of said fields and then change the circuit.

to include the fields in parallel withoiit breaking the connection witheither of said fields durin all of said operations.

I 5. source of electricity, a motor having a pluralit of field windings,a resistance, and a control or having contacts forming a part of thecircuit and arranged and connected to close the circuit with the fieldsin series, then change the circuit to include a field and resistance inseries in parallel with another field, and then connect the fields inparallel without breakin the connection with either during all of saidoperations.

6. A source of electricity, a motor having a pluralit of field windings,a resistance, and a control er having contacts forming a part of thecircuit and arranged and connected to close the circuit with the fieldsin series, then chan e the circuit to throw a shunt around one held andinclude a resistance in parallel with another field and then connect thefields, in parallel without breaking the conncction with either fieldduring all of said operations.

7. A source of electricity, a motor having a plurality of fieldwindings, a resistance and 0 a controller having contacts forming partof the .circuit and arranged and connected to include the fields inseries, then change the circuit to include the resistance and a field inparallel and a shunted field, then change the a I circuit to include afield in parallel with a l having contact blades forming part ol thefield having a resistance in series with it, and then to remove saidresistance and maintain the fields in parallelflwithout breaking theconnection with either of the field windings during all of saidoperations.

8. A source of electricity, a motor having a plurality of fieldwindings. and a controller movably mounted to vary the circuitconditions and having contacts form ng part of the circuit and arrangedand connected to continuously maintain the circuit throughout by fullcontact between the fingers and blades and thereby include the fieldwindings in series in one position of the controller, and to includesaid field windings in parallel 0 and in a succeeding position of thecontroller and without breaking the connection with either of the fieldwindings during all of said operations.

9. A source of electricity, a motor having a plural number oi fieldwindings, a resistance, and a controller movably mounted and havingcontacts forming part of the circuit and arranged and connected toinclude the field windings in series in one position of the 0controller, to include the resistance in parallel with a field windingin another position of the controller, and to remove said resistance andinclude the field windings in parallel and without breaking the.connection with either 9 of said field windings during all of saidoperations. i

10. A source of electricity, a motor having a plural number of fieldwindings, a resistance, and a controller movably mounted and havingcontacts forming art of the electric circuit amharranged anr connecte toinclude the fields in series in one positi' n of the controller, toinclude the, resistance and a field in series in parallel w: h anotherfield in another position of the c treller, and to remove saidresistance an maintain the fields -in arallel in another position of thecontro er and without breaking the connection with either of said fieldsduring all of said operations.

11. A source ofi electricity, a motor including a number'of fieldwindings, a resistance, and a controller movably mounted andhavingcontacts forming part of the circuit g and arranged and connectedto include the fields in series in one position'of the controller, toincludethe resistance and a field in parallelanda shunted field inanother position of the controller, to include a resistance and field inseries in parallel with another field in another position of thecontroller, and the fields in )arallcl with said resistance removed inanot er position of the controller and without breaking the connectionwith either field during all of said operations. v

12. A source of electricity, a motor having plurality of field windings,a controller circuit, contact fingers included in the cirbreaking theconnection With either of the cu1t,- each of the blades 1n a single linebeing field windings during said operation.

arranged to connect with a contact fin er before disengagement fromanother contact VICTOR CHAMBERLIN' 5 finger, said blades and fingersbeing con- Witnesses:

structed and adapted to change the relative D. V. CLEM,

arrangement of the field windings Without I E. K. SI-IUGERT.

